Baby Steps
by angels101
Summary: In which a Nightseeker named Zohar and an Arcanist named Lotus learn to bend into each others molds. Yaoi/ Shounen ai PLEASE LEAVE SUGGESTIONS! (Little one-shots to figure out how to write romance, and Etrian odyssey needs more Yaoi, dangit!)
1. With a vengence

Hello, hello! My very first Shounen Ai! Can you believe it? I am so nervous! But may I fist say...TheShatteredRose inspired me to write this! I read all the stories...I'm just to shy to comment...ahem. Oh with the story!

Lotus: Aaaaand, Angels101 doesn't own Etrian Odyssey!~

"Hello, Kirtida!" The bar keeper turned to see a cheery Lotus practicly skip up to her, a smudge of blood from a battle still on his cheek.

"We took care of that baboon problem!" the boy sang, collecting their reward. Kirtida took another look at the male.

"Um, you have a bit of blood on your face, Lotus." at that, Lotus's face morphed into one of confusion.

"Zohar told me he'd take care of it when I get back...maybe he'll get Emil to look at me!" Kirtida smiled at the younger's naivety, but frowned when he sat down.

"I do hate to disturb you, but...should you keep Zohar waiting?" Lotus paused in thought.

"But I wish to discover what 'booze' is..." Lotus sighed. Kirtida smiled slightly, an idea taking root in her mind. This could be good. She'd always had a grudge she wanted to fulfill on Zohar...after the incident with the moth eggs...Kirtida shivered as the memory of Zohar showing her the moth eggs right after she told him of her dislike of bugs burned her memory. Ah revenge.

"What kind would you like?" Kirtida smiled, grabbing the strongest alcohol she had.

"There are kinds?!" Lotus said in awe. This'd be easy. So, so easy.

"Kirtida." Zohar greeted cautiously. Girls were dangerous when holding grudges-oh so dangerous. His sister, Faerie had certainly taught him that. So he supposed after the whole thing with the moth eggs, Kirtida would be hatching a plan of her own on him. Suddenly he felt nervous. She wouldn't take it out on Lotus...

"Where's Lotus?" Why did Zohar suddenly feel so worried...? Usually the boy'd be there, talking off Kirtida's ear to show he had absolutely no sense of time, but he was gone. It was almost terrifying.

"Hm?" wondered Kirtida playing innocent. She had actually kept a close eye on the boy, who apparently did not have the ability to 'hold his liquor', making sure the innocent arcanist didn't get stolen or something. The nightseeker wou;d kill her, and the guilt would eat her up if Chao's youngest fell off the map. If he died, it'd be in the labyrinth, not because he was drunk. "I don't know. He was here a second ago." Now Zohar was suspicious. Why wasn't his Lotus where he should be?

"You did something to him, didn't you?" Zohar accused, the blonde nightseeker going on pure instinct. Kirtida put her hand to her chest, as if wounded.

"Why would I do such a thing?" Now Zohar knew the bar keeper had done something, rushing off into the bar of the dancing peacock to find his poor, naive, innocent Lotus before something found him first.

Zohar'd kill Kirtida if something happened to the white haired, scrawny acanist...scrawny! Lotus was no physically strong...he couldn't fend anyone off...Zohar hurried even more though the bar, searching for the boy unaccustomed to human life.

Lotus didn't like 'booze', he decided as his stomach turned in an unpleasant, almost painful way. His head spun, and he felt...spinney. Was spinney good? Lotus didn't know anymore. Oh was that a unicorn-whale-dog? The Baboon king? Lotus started giggling at the fact. Stumbling over his own feet as he watched the odd creature float by.

Zohar heard amused giggling, a very familiar giggling...running like a chicken with it's head chopped off, he was met with the odd sight of a young, thin arcanist giggling at the calling as if it were putting on a full comedy act. Zohar got a better look at the arcainst's face, which was flushed a light shade of rosy pink, and his violet colored eyes were glazed over. The blood was still on his face. He looked like a murderer who got high.

Zohar sighed, in a mixture of frustration and relieve, picking the drunken boy up with one arm, as he turned to give Kirtida-who looked particularly smug-a seething glare. No one messed with his Lotus-it's on. Zohar made a signal of a head being chopped off then pointed at the Bar keeper, who pointedly ignored him. Stupid woman...

Zohar looked the younger over, finding no damage, or sign of anyone touching him. Good. Like hell would he let anyone touch Lotus. Ooh, Damn that woman...

Zohar pressed the smaller closer to him as he exited the establishment, Lotus giggling, and pulling his hair, and-ow! that hurt!-and it was like handling a baby!

Well, with that thought, Zohar sighed and wiped the blood from Lotus's face with his thumb, silently cursing Kirtida once more as he nodded stiffly at Dalla, heading to their shared room. As Zohar laid the younger on the bed, he headed to the window, watching the moon rise as he thought about Amber, and Faerie and the others who were exploring the Golden lair as he blinked, before looking over at the now sleeping Lotus, before looking back out at the moon and stars.

Well, there went tonight's plans...

That was more friendshippy, wasn't it? Ugh! I'm still new at this romance thing!

Ah, Please review anyway! (I REALLY need the advice!)


	2. The greatest weapon

I feel like I'm getting better at this :3 Still got a loong way to go, though. Oh well, baby steps, right?! Ah...Zohar?

Zohar: Bleh. Angels101 doesn't own Etrian Odyssey. Damn it, why'd you have to put us in the Sacred Mountains?! I hate the cold!

Suck it, Zohar. On to the story!~

"Don't lean to far over, or you'll fall off the ship, Lotus." Warned Zohar, who was steering the famous 'Raptor', while keeping an eye on his curious Lotus at the same time. Bring a master pilot (at least he is better than Alex...stupid, cocky sniper...) the steering part was easy, but taking care of a Lotus who was leaning farther, and farther over the deck of the ship to look for the snowy garden they'd-read ZOHAR-had been asked to find. You'd be surprised what big, sad eyes, and a quivering frown can do if you are as cute as Lotus...well, it got him on the ship, anyway. Apparently, though, Zohar underestimated how hard it was to keep an eye on his young love. He was really beginning to regret it...

Lotus jumped away from the edge of the ship as if it had slapped him at the word 'fall'. He rocketed over to Zohar, wrapping his arms around the older's waist-He had to stand on his tip-toes to reach Zohar's neck-looking even paler than usual, if possible. He even had the tear filled eyes. Using one hand to steer the ship, Zohar sighed and stroked the deathly white bangs hovering in Lotus's face. Zohar frowned when he felt them-they were cold to the touch. Zohar hated the cold, and always fussed over the younger, even if Lotus would blink at him and tell him he was fine. What a handful...

"Lookie, Zohar! What absolutely lovely flowers, blossoming in the fresh, icy white snow!" Cooed Lotus, instantly releasing his grip on Zohar to clasp his hands together, looking starry-eyed at the beautiful flowers. Disinterestedly, Zohar marked the place on the map, gently patting the younger's head, before returning to the wheel, unaware of the slightly depressed look on Lotus's face as his goat-like ears drooped, before he stared longingly at the blossoms once more.

They were out of the Sacred Mountains and into the scarlet pillars-which was also Lotus's homeland; Zohar took him here all the time on dates, or just to adventure, and he knew this place like the back of his hand-when Lotus stopped sulking, and went up to tap Zohar's shoulder. Zohar stopped the ship, turning around to scold the boy for the interruption, but his eyes widened almost comically at the adorable, frail boy behind him, and suddenly, the ship was the farthest thing from his mind.

Lotus's Pale cheeks were still light pink from the frigid air of the mountains they'd just came from, his beautiful violet eyes, and uncharacteristically shy smile made him so pitifully cute. His lush white hair was ruffled from the wind and the attention it had received from Zohar earlier, which framed his face perfectly, but his two feather-like strands of hair never moved out of place. Even the tips of his long, sensitive ears were flushed a light pink. Behind his right ear was a snow blossom-one of the very same that Zohar had ignored earlier-it's beauty and elegance mixed with Lotus's innocent sweetness, Zohar certainly wasn't disinterested. It was more like he was about to faint.

"How do I look?" Giggled the apparently attention hungry-it was obvious he'd planned this, but he was fine with Zohar thinking he was completely innocent-Lotus, the ever autumn-like leaves of the Scarlet pillars floating around them complimenting Lotus's appearance, and making the scene even more magical.

"Gorgeous." Zohar whispered into Lotus's ear as he took the boy into his arms, then kissed his cheek gently, causing the younger to blush darkly. Zohar couldn't take the new insurge of sweet cuteness of his adorable little Lotus. He was about to slam their lips together when Lotus stopped him.

"Zohar, your nose is bleeding..." Lotus said worriedly, seeming to forget the arms around his waist as he handed a handkerchief to his older love.

"I-i'ma...I'ma okay!" stuttered Zohar, wiping the blood on the handkerchief, then-wasting no more time-hungrily crushed their lips together, kissing the life out of a flustered Lotus-he wasn't expecting that!

Seriously, what this kid could do to human enemies...

It was still bad, wasn't it? Oh well, I tried! *sob*

Zohar: That's what you get for putting me out in the cold...*grumble*

Lotus: Don't be so mean, Zohar!~

Zohar: ...fine.

Lotus: Yay!~ *tackles Zohar*

Zohar: Argh!


End file.
